Something in the air disturbed Marka. It wasn't the ever-growing grey clouds that covered the skies, or the numerous magical trinkets carried by her client, no it was something far distant. Uncharacteristically, Julianna and Rose were both sitting at the front of the wagons while their mistress slept in the back. The adze's familiars were both on high alert, constantly scanning the horizon for some unknown entity. This feeling of heightened discomfort only seemed to extend to the mad priest and the imp's companion, as her other travelers were unaware beyond their regular conversation seeming more subdued.
In the far distance there was a young boy loitering near an old marula tree, his head poking out the rotting remains of a giraffe that had been killed by some unknown predator. It was unsettling watching his dark skin playfully disappear in and out of the festering carcass. The sight instinctively repulsed her, as well as many of her comrades. Death was an understood and accepted part of their line of work, but seeing a child unfazed by lingering decay was unnerving. His bare body contained numerous meticulous scars from dozens of incisions, clearly far less skilled than their own doctor who worked to minimize lingering wounds.
Upon noticing their approach, the child emerged from the exposed rib cage, a disturbed smile showing on his face. Everything from his demeanor to his passive mannerisms was off-putting. Unlike their client, who often held themselves with a methodical and restrained distance, the child stood as if he was merely playing the part of an innocent youth. At least this was how she interpreted the playful expressions that were painted on his face.
Leo and Jaali had to work to control their horses as to keep them from bolting from some unknown presence, their commanding voice was barely enough to reign in the beasts. There were no greetings or other such things as one could expect from such an encounter. Rather, the child just stood there with a wide grin, taking in the appearance of the newcomers. Marka could not see any traces of the supernatural on his body, aside from a faint waft of dark smoke coming from his shaven dome. This unnatural aura was almost entirely natural, which only unnerved her further.
“Where is your village, kid?” Demanded Jaali with his uncertainty manifesting as assertiveness. The child just stood there with that eerie smile, slowly extending his arm as to point to Eastward towards a road which led into the forest. “My home is that way!” he called out, almost playfully. “Shelter from the rain. Come! Come!” Most of the trees along the indicated path were either dying or had already dried up, as if their life force had been drained from them. Unusually the sounds of birds and other wild life were absent, save for the occasional circling vulture. While it could be explained by disease or poor rainfall, something about the surrounding scenery seemed off.
Collectively her fellow mercenaries scanned the horizon, trying to judge the rainfall and the road ahead. The thick-head priests, who usually disliked sleeping in the open, seemed uncharacteristically hesitant about detouring to the village. They too appeared to question whether or not they could make it to the next town before the rain fully set in. Julianna made the suggestion, likely on behalf of the adze, to attempt to press on to the next village or a suitable resting spot. No one seemed keen to object, much to the noticeable disappointment of the child.
The collective unease they felt did not seem to fade as they travelled further away from the village. As a few droplets of rain started to fall, what would usually have been a dry riverbed was now filled with a rapidly flowing stream. Several large crocodiles had already made their way down the channel and could be seen hiding within the nearby bushes. While there was no clear indication of magic in the air, it did feel as if the weather was forcing them back to the village. The hiss of the over-sized lizards, combined with the chance of a roaming hippopotamus, was enough to dissuade any attempt to cross.
“I think I saw a good place to camp a while back,” Jaali called out. “It should give enough cover until we can find a way around the river.” Usually, the village would've been their preferred option, but their leader's gut was also telling them to steer clear of the settlement. No one spoke in opposition, although Arthur had contemplated fighting the crocodiles to secure a safe passage. However, the fast-running current was enough to dissuade his futile notions. “There is something strange in the air.” Marka commented, receiving murmured agreement from most present.
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Rumbles of thunder echoed in the distance as the rain intensified to a light down poor. Where a once convenient cluster of trees once stood, now rested the burnt remains. What little shelter they had planned on was now destroyed, with scarce few alternatives remaining nearby. Marka had seen minute traces of magic in the stormy sky but had simply attributed it to lightning dancing across the clouds. Now, as the weather worsened and their presumptive campsite ruined, she was not so sure of that assumption.
“Jaali, What's the call?” Asked Amne, hesitancy filling his words. Everyone's eyes now fell on Jaali, waiting for a decision. They had all accepted him as the ultimate authority for all decisions when they were travelling between towns, and now was no exception. Even though Victoria was her client, she too acknowledged his authority in the wilderness and ran any desired deviations through him. Many were thinking back to the village as refuge from the storm, whereas others felt similar misgivings about the settlement.
“Victoria,” Jaali began, stalling for time as he considered the situation. “What do you want to do?” The adze had already risen from her basket, personally scanning the horizon for anything useful. “Others may have stronger inclinations, but my preference is to avoid staying in the village. However, we would be exposed to different threats if we were to camp out in the rain. I will yield to the consensus as both seem suspect.” Marka presumed that her client lacked the necessary information required for any definitive judgement but had similar misgivings about the settlement from her brief assessment. They could easily find cover from the rain, however the incoming storm and the feral beasts surrounding them could be equally as dangerous.
Only Kahina and the arrogant priests showed any strong desire to stay in the village. They preferred the sense of security that the sturdy walls provided, even if they were dilapidated or crumbling. Most were aware that it was not uncommon for large snakes to be found hiding within storehouses, much to the surprise of the residents. That withstanding tales of leopards finding their way into the earthen homes. The small encampments did provide some lesser protection; however, they were unable to guarantee much safety until they grew to a certain size.
Jaali soon entered a quiet debate with Amne, both agreeing that any village who raised such a morbid child was suspect at best. While they quickly discussed where they would stay, Rose began to examine the underside of the wagons. She soon emerged with a small beetle in hand, glistening with a faint blue hue. The insect in question was some variation of a beetle, complete with wings tucked behind its armored carapace. There was nothing inherently different about the brightly colored bug, yet it still drew the adze's interest. It was quickly passed around to a few select members of the group who examined it closely while Rose successfully searched for similar beetles.
To most observers, it was but a small beetle that had likely just sought refuge underneath the wagon's carriage. However, to those with supernatural inclinations: it held traces of faint mystical energies. None present could identify the insect outside of the layman's understanding and the attempts at analysis were rudimentary at best. When the small assortment of beetles were released, they all appeared to fly off in the general direction of unsettling village, unperturbed by the slowly growing downpour. Benedict and his cohorts dismissed their findings of strange insects, even if they too had misgivings about the remote town.
“I don't like it.” Announced Jaali, returning the groups attention onto himself. “But we are going to the kid's village. Expect a short stay and don't stray from the wagon. There is something amiss going on.” It seemed that the discovery of the beetles had swayed many of their opinions towards a minor investigation. The subtle tricks that may have worked on less experienced or more gullible travelers into seeking refuge only served to highlight their more darkened nature.
They found the child waiting for them between the gap between the trees, his smile contrasted by the darkness around him. His expression told them that their return was expected, with no signs of doubt showing on his face. The wagons slowly followed the child, his heavily scarred back exposed for them to see. Julianna's motherly concern over the injuries was seemingly kept in check by Victoria, preventing her from getting involved. The rain only seemed to grow in intensity, as if trying to quickly usher them towards the town yard. Whatever awaited them had little interest in letting them leave.